Fifth-seeded Plainfield East softball is taking on the 12th-seeded Naperville North Huskies for a chance to face off against Yorkville in the Regional Finals on Friday. These two met earlier in the year, with the Bengals coming away with an 8-0 win. The Bengals will send freshman Jocelyn Cushard to the mound while the Huskies send Gabi Chmiel to the bump. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Plainfield East Softball scores in the third inning to lead 1-0 against Naperville North
Planfields Kaleigh Cawthon gets the first base runner for the Bengals as she legs out a single on this bunt in the first inning.
In the second, Cushard punctuates a dominant inning by striking out the side
Chmiel responds with a dominant inning of her own, striking out Planfield’s Meranda Abante to end the second.
In the third, Ashley Plzak hits a ground ball up the middle to Chmiel, but it’s bobbled and she reaches base safely.
She then comes around to score on this single up the middle from Corinne Garmon, giving the Benagls an early 1-0 lead.
Addison Wade and Reese Pederson get Naperville North going on the diamond
The Bengals try to lay a bunt, but some nice defensive work from Husky first baseman Addison Wade gets the out.
North follows that up with a leadoff double from Reese Pederson to right field to begin the fourth. She would be left stranded on the bases.
In the bottom half of the 4th inning, East’s Marie Marcum singles to drive in a runner from third base after a defensive miscue from North, and another run comes across the plate, this time from Layla Iverson.
Then Ilianna Smith comes to the plate and mashes a double into left field for another RBI knock, then the ball gets away from the Huskies as Iverson scores on the error. 4-0 Bengals at the end of the fourth.
Bengals hold the shutout and move on to the Regional Final
In the top of the fifth, some slick fielding from Bengals shortstop Avery Welsh ends the top of the inning.
Later that inning, Cawthon hit a ground ball to second base, but the bobble allows Plzak to score for the Bengals, making it 5-0 in the sixth
After a dominant outing, Cushard seals the shutout with her 12th strikeout of the day on Naperville’s Alex Yaeger. Her final line, 7 innings of shutout ball while allowing just two hits.
Planfield East punches their ticket to the regional finals against Yorkville after a 5-0 defeat of the Huskies.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
